World Hypertension Day, May 17

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece by Neala Gill, manager, Cardiovascular Health Nova Scotia; Peggy Dunbar, manager, Diabetes Care Program of Nova Scotia; and Susan MacNeil, manager, Nova Scotia Renal Program.

World Hypertension Day is Sunday, May 17. Organizations around the world are raising awareness about a condition known as the silent killer, hypertension.

Hypertension is caused when blood pressure becomes too high and stays high, often without warning signs. It causes damage to the arteries, weakens organs, and can cause blood clots. All of this significantly increases your risk for strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease.

Almost one third of adults in Nova Scotia have been diagnosed with hypertension. Rates of this condition in the province are slightly higher in women than in men and considerably higher, at close to 70 per cent, for people with diabetes.

The good news is that hypertension can be managed and controlled. One of the most important things you can do is eat a healthy diet that is low in salt. Salt plays a major role in increasing blood pressure. If salt intake was reduced to levels recommended by the Canadian government and the World Health Organization, one million fewer Canadians would have high blood pressure. The recommendation is for no more than one teaspoon of salt per day for adults and even less for children.

By eating fewer servings of processed foods and removing the salt shaker from the table, you can take control. It is also important to check food labels and avoid foods that have 20 per cent or more of your daily recommended intake of sodium per serving. You can also take action by participating in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight and, when prescribed by a doctor, taking appropriate medications.

It is very important to talk with a doctor about your specific situation and how to best maintain a healthy blood pressure or how to manage a diagnosis of hypertension. If you have been informed that you have high blood pressure, you have taken the first step in managing this condition. If you do not have your blood pressure checked regularly, starting this simple procedure is vital. As we age, our risk for hypertension increases and, if you have diabetes your risk is substantially higher than in the general population. It is important to know where you stand before you can take the right steps.

Our three provincial programs, Cardiovascular Health Nova Scotia, Diabetes Care Program of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Renal Program, have a common interest in addressing hypertension due to its link to chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes. We hope you will help us mark World Hypertension Day by personally taking action on this silent killer.